The Order of the Falcon: Transition
by Tessa Starling
Summary: Hey. Tessa here. Listen, if you've found this, you need to be on alert. The School is rising again after Max and her friends blew up the world. They're collecting new subjects, and we, The Order of the Falcon, have deducted that you may be a future target. So pay attention. Paying attention may save your life. [Oh shut up, Alex. It will!] -The Order of the Falcon
1. Prologue

**_The following is a transcript of a digital recording. In some places, the audio quality was poor, so some words and phrases represent the author's best guesses. Background noises, such as shuffling, hitting, and cursing by the speakers have not been transcribed. The author makes no claim for the authenticity of the recording. It seems impossible that the young narrators are telling the truth, but you, the reader, are to figure it out for yourself._**

Hey. Tessa here. Listen, if you've found this, you need to be on alert. The School is rising again after Max and her friends blew up the world. They're collecting new subjects, and we, The Order of the Falcon, have deducted that you may be a future target. So pay attention. Paying attention may save your life. [Oh shut up, Alex. It will!]

Anyways, be alert of the people around you. A friend's father turned out to be the person who changed us. So be careful.

Luck in life and bravery in battle, ( dang that sounds fancy. In other words, Fly on,)

Order of the Falcon:

Tessa, Alex, Cameron, Katrina, David, Angelica, Rachel, Loren, and Tristan.


	2. Chapter 1: I came to… FLY!

**Chapter 1: I came to… FLY!**

 **Tessa**

"Ahh!" I yawned. Crazy dream. I got kidnapped by the school… I've been reading too much MR for my own good. If at all possible. Lol.

I ripped the covers off my tan legs and walked to my room's mirror sleepily. This has to be the worst hair day ever. I mentally groaned, because the invincible Tessa Starling doesn't groan aloud. I grabbed my hairbrush, and then started to tackle the tangles. The brush got stuck in my unruly brown snarls, so I gave up. I yanked the brush out of my hair, and then whipped my head around to make it look sloppy as if on purpose.

I walked to my closet and picked out a t-shirt, then jeans. After throwing these on me, I grabbed my Smalltown High sweatshirt and pulled it on over. I love my hoodie… and jeans… and boots. Hehehe I'm tired. XP

I decided to ride to school instead of taking the hot smelly bus. Putting in my earbuds, I set my iPhone to play a personal favorite album: Riot! By Paramore. As Born For This blasted into my ears, I set off for school on an old rusty bike.

I found a bus headed for Smalltown High, and waved to Katrina "Kitty" Rose, who was sitting window side.

We've been friends since second grade, and we'll never be separated. Except when we're joined by Cameron Thorn, Alex Cramer, Angelica Smith, and her brother Davey. Call us a clique, call us a pack. We don't care. We just hang around and have fun. Cam, Alex and I are in 9th, Kitty's in the eighth grade GT program, even though we're the same age. (Sixth was an interesting year for us... she got a bad grade on finals... I explained to the teacher that we almost got mugged in New York that weekend, so we couldn't study, but she didn't believe me. It was true, but no one has proof. The gang who mugged us vanished and when we asked about the Black Panthers, no one knew who we were talking about.)

She held up her pinky and swooped it around, like a sign language 'j'. I grinned, making an 'I love you' sign. We were now racing. Me vs. Bus. Hah. Not fair, I know. but... I ain't normal. :1

At the next Stop Sign, I counted down in my head. 3, 2, 1,... go! And we sped off towards the school. I was barely keeping up with the bus, and a wave of nausea swept over me. Now. For the newbies, Welcome! I don't usually do this, so don't get used to it. In fact, I was usually one car in front of the bus by now. I had to get onto the side of the side walk, and take a breather while the bus sped ahead. I silently screamed. My lungs were bursting, and I was breathing normally. What was going on?

I cheated and took a few back roads towards school, biting my lip and thinking. What happened back there? Why didn't I have breakfast? And why are turtles so slow? I turned into the parking lot just before the bus and chained up my bike. Bathroom break needed.

I bolted in before anybody else could, and then I ran to the bathroom and locked myself in the wheelchair stall. I leaned over the toilet and got ready to puke. I hate this... I hate being sick.

*blergh*

I ran to my classroom, and set out my homework. The teacher handed me a quiz, and I took it. Why did Rio de Janeiro produce bananas in 1773? The words started to swim together, and I felt dyslexic for a bit. Wasn't this supposed to be Algebra? I turned while the teacher wasn't looking. Alex wasn't doing to well either. His forehead was sweaty, and his hands were shaking as he wrote on the quiz sheet. So it's not just me. Phew.

I know I didn't get any of the questions right, but with the extra credit I did earlier in their year, [sixth taught me a good lesson. Get ahead, so if you trip, you're fine] my grade shouldn't get lower than ninety.


	3. Chapter 3: Fun, Friends, and Fear

p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Amazon Ember Light','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Amazon Ember Light';" Chapter 3: Fun, Friends, and Fear/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Amazon Ember Light','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Amazon Ember Light';"Tessa/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Amazon Ember Light','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Amazon Ember Light';"Kitty stood on the porch, looking slightly panicky, and Cameron was holding all of the pink bags that must have been Kitty's, along with his own blue duffle. A bag was covering Cam's pale face, but I'm sure it had a pained expression."/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;""Kitty?" I said, "You know I only asked for 'the bare essentials'…" Kitty rolled her mocha eyes./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Amazon Ember Light','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Amazon Ember Light';""I know. But this isn't my stuff. It's for…" She paused dramatically. "…The future!" I rolled my eyes./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Amazon Ember Light','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Amazon Ember Light';""Can we come in now? Her stuff is getting heavy!" Cam shouted desperately. I nodded. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Amazon Ember Light','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Amazon Ember Light';""Let's go to the Tainic." I suggested. (Tainic is Romanian for hidden) We walked inside, with Alex walking beside Cameron, making sure that nothing fell. I tapped a lamp's switch, and a hidden door popped out from under the stairway. Yeah. I had a cool house sponsored by cool parents who are currently out of country. We were home alone! Because leaving four teens home alone with kids for the entire weekend is a great idea. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Amazon Ember Light','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Amazon Ember Light';"As always, the tunnel to the Tainic was very dark. And as always, Gazzy and Angel (who had trailed along behind us down the stairs) clutched my hands. Theirs were shaking slightly with fear. I squeezed them, and they squeezed back./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Amazon Ember Light','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Amazon Ember Light';" "Tada!" I said, as we reached the special underground door. "That was El tunnel magnifico; please stop by the guest center for your photos and complimentary sodas..." That comment got those kids moving./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;""I call first dibs on Coke!" Cameron said, running towards the fridge./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;""Oh no, you don't! You had first dibs last time!" Kitty retorted, close behind./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Amazon Ember Light','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Amazon Ember Light';""I did not!" They reached the fridge./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Amazon Ember Light','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Amazon Ember Light';""You did too!" Nudge grabbed a Coke./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Amazon Ember Light','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Amazon Ember Light';""I did not!" Cameron took it./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Amazon Ember Light','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Amazon Ember Light';""HEY!" I yelled, and they looked away from the fridge, and the sodas. "I bought two sixteen-packs, so we should be good for the entire weekend." Kitty huffed but gave Cameron the Coke, and grabbed her own can. I turned away from those two crazies, and pulled out the couch the twins would be sleeping on./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Amazon Ember Light','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Amazon Ember Light';"The Tainic is basically a man lounge. Dad made it when he and mom had no kids. Apparently, they hosted football parties on Sundays. Why did I mention this? To explain why we have a microwave (for all your freezer buffalo wings), a fridge (where else would you put those icy cold sodas? Huh?), A U shaped couch, a fifty inch flat screen with an Xbox, and a bedroom. I don't understand the bedroom part, but it's useful for sleepovers. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Amazon Ember Light','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Amazon Ember Light';"INSERT HUGE PARTY FOR ME AND MY EPIC IDEA OF A SLEEPOVER. Lol/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Amazon Ember Light','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Amazon Ember Light';"We quieted down after five minutes, and then I remembered the envelope and its message. You have been injected by Avian DNA… It will show itself tonight. Giahh.../span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Amazon Ember Light','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Amazon Ember Light';""Guys, I just remembered something kinda important." I motioned for them all to sit down. They sat, and I started to talk./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Amazon Ember Light','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Amazon Ember Light';""When Angel and Gazzy got here, Angel gave me a note. Anne wrote it, and she said some vaguely disturbing things." They were all confused, so I explained in my own way. "It says Jeb, Mr. Walker, works at Itex. It's real. No, I don't mean the one company that we saw on our class trip that one year, but the real companies that were in Maximum Ride./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Amazon Ember Light','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Amazon Ember Light';" They all looked confused still, so I kept plowing right on through, real smooth like. "We, somehow, Jeb, I …" I stuttered. How do you tell your best friends that we're about to become mutants, possibly forever?! I took a deep breath and said, "Jeb somehow got Avian DNA into us, and it'll start mutating tonight. What Anne meant," I paused. This is gonna be awkward. "I think she meant that we'd be bird kids." Jaws dropped, and then Cameron started to laugh. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Amazon Ember Light','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Amazon Ember Light';""Hahahahahahaha!" he wheezed. "Nice one, Tessa. You had us going there for a minute." he saw my grim face, and then said, "You're not kidding, are you?"/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Amazon Ember Light','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Amazon Ember Light';"I shook my head. "This is serious." /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Amazon Ember Light','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Amazon Ember Light';""Well then!" he said. "This is a good cause for bombs, no?" he cracked a mischievous grin. "Gazzy, let's get cracking!" Davey hi fived him. Boys. Never cease to amaze me./span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Amazon Ember Light','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Amazon Ember Light';"Angel climbed into my lap and started to play with my hair. Then she said softly, "So... Are we going to have pretty Angel wings?" I wanted so badly to say no, and that it was all a joke. But unfortunately, it was real, and this heck of a life was about to be mine. No, ours! And there's no escape! Oh, Jeb'll pay. I'm gonna crush him, and all of that stupid (this section of the recording has been censored, due to excessive amounts of swears) company and its branches. I'm Gonna punch it so hard... I'm... gonna... Oh who am I kidding? I'm no warrior! I'm a soon-to-be mutant freak, with no clue how to protect a merry band of fellow mutants, and no outside support! I... I'm gonna get us all killed. That thought made me tear up, so I tried to hold it in. But hey. It's my life so of course the tears just couldn't stay in my tear glands. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Amazon Ember Light','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Amazon Ember Light';""Yeah, Ange. Wings." She looked up at me and saw those lovely tears forming. The others sensed it would be a good time to back off, so they went to do various activities. Angel had other ideas, though, and wiped my tears away. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Amazon Ember Light','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Amazon Ember Light';""You always tell me to be strong, and that everything will be alright. Now I'm telling you." She smiled and hugged me, still sitting on my lap. "You're really strong, Tessa. Really brave. Really cool. Be strong. Everything will be alright." I smiled weakly and hugged her back. /span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-justify: inter-ideograph;"span style="font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Amazon Ember Light','serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Amazon Ember Light';""Thanks, Ange. I owe you a cookie."/span/p 


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